The Tullos Town Council approved the adoption of Ordinance 2021-006 to amend the 2021-2022 budget after there were no public comments at the public meeting held prior to the Council’s regular monthly meeting held Monday night of last week.

Town CPA David Vercher was unable to present the audit report due to a time conflict. The audit report was moved to the meeting agenda in February.

In regard to the Council’s adoption of Ordinance 2021-004 last month to amend first time water tap fee and first-time sew er tap fee, Mayor Pro-Tem Tina Murphrey Tullos, who led the meeting while Mayor Karla Cockerham is currently out on medical leave, read part of the official letter from the Attorney General’s office concerning the town’s water and sewer tap fees.

The letter stated: “…it is the opinion of this office that the Town of Tullos may not absorb a loss or pay the difference in new utility connection costs. Because the Town is under no obligation to provide the installation or connection of utilities on private property, not requiring the full cost to be assessed against the customer would violate La. Const. art. VII, 14(A).”

Pan American Engineer Jacob Guillory was on hand to update the Mayor Pro-Tem and Council. His first update for the Mayor Pro-Tem and Council concerned the Water Treatment Project and the third comment letter that was received from USDA. He said that they will respond and then he hoped they will be able to then go forward with bids.

The Water and Sewer Relocation (Hwy 84) was the next update when he reported that the utility contractor is almost completed with his part of the project. He mentioned that the full project is set to be completed in Spring 2023. He also mentioned the CDBG $1 million grant for sewer system rehabilitation that the town was selected to submit a full application for and said the application will be submitted by the end of February. He also said he submitted in November for the Water Sector Program to address the town’s inflow and infiltration issues.

Guillory then said the town has four small grants to go toward the cost of painting elevated tank and one grant has been finished and a second one closed out. He said now the town will able to receive the 2021 CWEF for chlorination equipment funding. He reminded the Council that the town’s ARPA funds should cover the rest of painting cost. He then mentioned the $75,000 the town received to purchase AMR digital meters. He said he is looking in to how far the funding will go toward the purchase and plans to update the Council at next month’s meeting.

Police Juror Tim Lasiter reported to the Tullos Council that the dumpsters at the police jury barn in Olla for excess garbage during the holidays will be removed on January 5. He also said they are working on their work agenda for the year and that work on Napa Street is a priority this year.

In the police department report, there were 126 tickets, 147 violations, one public assist, two arrests, three complaints and $49,183.78 collected in fines and fees including $2,680.38 of the amount collected by AMS for outstanding unpaid tickets with one dog complaint for the month of December.

In the fire report, newly elected Fire Chief David Maudsley informed the Council that there were no call outs and the department held one business meeting. Scott Cockerham was re-elected as Assistant Fire Chief and the new fire department secretary is Marli Rae Oehler.

The Council approved new fire department members Paul and Tina Tullos as well as junior member Zack Maudsley. He also said the MREs were distributed so now the department can return the fire department van into the department bay. He added that he looks forward to serving with the fire department and working with the council in 2022. Mayor Pro-Tem Tullos thanked him and told him his service is appreciated.

In the Water & Sewer Department Report, the JCP Management report was read by Town Clerk Jonna Souppa. She stated the system is operating normally with chlorine residuals steady. She said all generators throughout the system were inspected and exercised weekly as well as all automatic flushes exercised and monitored. She also mentioned that the elevated tower rehabilitation project continues.

The water sales were reported as 891,190 gallons, water pumped as 1,639,540 gallons and December Water Loss as 748,350 gallons with 300,000 gallons of the total water loss from targeted manual flushing. She mentioned that an issue with the chlorination system at the Olla tank site has been addressed with both chlorine heads being rebuilt and now the system is operating normally. She read that the issue with the brown water complaints stemmed from the chlorination system issues.

Souppa then read that water was found running from the chlorine room at the Tullos plant because a ball valve was ruptured and now it is repaired and restored to correct operations.

Regarding sewer, she read that lyme was spread on sewer overflow across from lift station 4, a sewer back-up was investigated at 1490 Delwood Street, a meter was pulled at 355 FL Albritton, check meter at 1081 Carraway Street and flushed hydrant on Hill Street, Park Street and Miles Street.

In the Mayor’s comments, Tullos said to please be in prayer for the Mayor and her family.

The Council then approved the town’s Mardi Gras Festival to be held from noon to 2 p.m. on Saturday, February 26. There will be free red beans and rice, king cake and music. Anyone is welcome to make a pot of red beans and rice to bring and/or help set up that day. For more information, contact the town hall.